The sexual and reproductive rights and benefit derived from sexual and reproductive health services of people with physical disabilities in South Africa

Beliefs of Non-Disabled People

Dados Bibliográficos

ID3973140
AutoresXanthe Hunt (0000-0001-7531-6665, Stellenbosch University), Mark T Carew (0000-0002-1377-2910, University of East London), Stine Hellum Braathen (0000-0002-3968-1873, Research Manager, SINTEF Technology and Society, Trondheim, Norway), L Swartz (0000-0003-1741-5897, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa), Mussa Chiwaula (0000-0001-5193-5461, Chair, South Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD), Gaborone, Botswana), Poul Rohleder (0000-0002-5052-0464, Reader in Psychology, University of East London, UK)
Ano2017
Volume25
Fascículo50
Páginas66-79
Data de publicação2017-06-12
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoReproductive Health Matters (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0968-8080 • E-ISSN: 1460-9576
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09688080.2017.1332949
PMID28784075
OpenAlexW2618539243
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas14
Referências citadas55

There is a body of theoretical work, and some empirical research, which suggests that non-disabled people assume people with physical disabilities are not suitable romantic partners, do not have sexual drives or desires, or are not sexually active. It has also been proposed that people with physical disabilities face barriers to sexual healthcare access which are structural as well as social. The present paper explores non-disabled South Africans' beliefs concerning the degree to which non-disabled respondents enjoy sexual and reproductive rights, and benefit from sexual and reproductive healthcare, compared to people without disability. Using a survey, we asked 1989 South Africans to estimate the degree to which people with physical disabilities and people without disability have sexual rights, and benefit from sexual and reproductive healthcare services, respectively. Respondents were more likely to support the idea that the population without disability were deserving of sexual rights compared to people with physical disabilities. Respondents were more likely to rate the degree to which people with physical disability benefit from sexual and reproductive healthcare as less than that for people without physical disabilities. These findings provide some of the first empirical support that non-disabled people perceive people with physical disabilities as having fewer sexual and reproductive rights, and deriving less benefit from sexual and reproductive health services, than the population without disability. To have diminished sexual rights, and benefit less from sexual and reproductive healthcare, we suggest, evinces a negation of the sexual and reproductive needs and capacity of people with physical disabilities

Environmental health · Health care · Human sexuality · Medical model of disability · Physical disability · Political science · Population · Psychiatry · Reproductive health · Reproductive rights · Sexual and reproductive health and rights · Sociology · Disability Rights and Representation · Gender Studies · Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Psychology